every case make the
nervous man or woman sleep like a child. One should not be too fatigued,
but sufficiently so to thoroughly enjoy the sensation of lying down.
One cannot truly enjoy sleep except when he has reached this condition
of bodily fatigue. To induce this, I would recommend a walk in the
evening before going to bed, covering several miles. Although walking
for health should ordinarily be brisk enough to stimulate breathing
and arouse an active circulation, thus strengthening the internal
organs, for the purpose of promoting drowsiness the last mile or two
of the evening walk should preferably be very slow. Fast movements are
stimulating to mind and nerves. Slow movements have a sedative
effect. By walking very slowly as if one were tired the desired effect
of fatigue is more satisfactorily secured. One imagines the need of rest
under such conditions.

The quality of the air is another important factor, though I need not
dwell upon that here. The air you breathe during sleep should
be especially fresh and pure, particularly so because of the more
shallow character of the breathing. If you are in a room, all the
windows should be open as wide as possible. If you have a covered
balcony or porch, or if you can avail yourself of a flat roof, it is
always advisable to sleep out-of-doors. The increased vitality will
more than repay you for your trouble. There is something about
out-of-door sleeping that vitalizes, energizes, and refreshes one to
an unusual extent.

Circulation is another important factor in sound sleep, especially for
nervous persons. Many of those who complain of an inability to
sleep suffer more or less from congestion of blood in the brain; also
they complain of cold feet or cold hands and feet. In such instances,
warm feet will often bring a solution of the problem. In some instances
drinking a half cup of hot milk or hot water before going to bed will
draw the blood from the brain and enable one to sleep. A hot foot bath
before going to bed will do the same thing, or one may use a hot-water
bag or hot flatiron wrapped up in flannels, or even a hot brick treated
in the same way, to keep the feet warm when in bed. In extreme cases it
might be advisable to apply cold packs to the head while applying heat
to the feet or when taking the hot foot bath.

Another measure of special value for nervous persons is a bath at the
temperature of the body,